After this very important treatment there are a few things
you should know.
1.
All areas of your mouth should be brushed and
flossed as usual as long as it does not cause discomfort. Sometimes rinsing
with warm salt water is soothing. You can create a mixture by dissolving ¼
teaspoon of salt in 1 – 8 ounce glass of warm water. Do not use any
alcohol-containing mouth rinses.
2.
Slight bleeding for several hours is normal. If
you take a nap, cover your pillow with a towel. If bleeding persists, call the
office.
3.
If you were prescribed antibiotics, it is very
important to take as directed until they are all gone.
For women who are pregnant or who could be pregnant,
do not take any medications without consulting your physician. Birth control
pills may not work effectively when you take certain antibiotics, so please use
alternative methods of contraceptive for at least two weeks after you have
competed the antibiotic protocol.
Some people have unfavorable reactions to antibiotics.
If you experience any of the following, stop taking your medication and
immediately contact your Periodontist or go to the emergency room.
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Itching
Rash
Hives
Difficulty breathing
4.
Smoking can affect the healing process.
5.
After your surgery, have only cool to warm
liquids (not hot) to drink until the numbness has worn off. This is to prevent
you from burning your lips, cheeks or tongue.
6.
Eat very soft foods as directed. Avoid nuts,
popcorn, seeds, chips (taco, tortilla, potato, etc.) granola and any hard or
crunchy foods for the first three weeks.
7.
After treatment, you can expect little to no
discomfort in your gums, although this can vary depending upon the extent of
your periodontal infection. If you do feel some discomfort, take 800 mg. of
Motrin every 6 hours. Any discomfort will be made worse by smoking or an
inappropriate diet.
8.
Sometimes after root planning and scaling,
patients may experience an increased sensitivity to temperature or sweets. This
generally resolves by itself, but please let your Periodontist know at your
follow-up visit, as there are medications that can be applied to the tooth to
reduce the sensitivity.
9.
On very rare occasions, you may develop a
low-grade (100 degree F or less) fever and chills. This usually will occur
within the first 24 hours after treatment. If this happens to you, take Tylenol
and drink plenty of fluids to reduce your fever and call your Periodontist.
10. Some
patients have reported on rare occasions, an earache, headache and/or
discomfort in the jaw muscles after treatment. This is more likely to occur in
patients who grind or clench their teeth. Please let your Periodontist know at
your next visit.
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